LeBron James is taking legal action against the AI platform responsible for creating and distributing unconsensual deepfake videos for the NBA superstar.
The lawyer representing James recently issued a halt and assumption letter to Interlink AI, tools hosted on the flick-up platform, and related discord communities.
The platform allowed users to create videos generated by AI. Part of it portrayed James in a bizarre scenario during her pregnancy. This is a simulated prison assault scene as a pregnant person and alongside other celebrities such as Steph Curry and Sean “Diddy” Combs. Many of these videos have gained millions of perspectives on Instagram under the viral trend known as “Brainrot AI.”
This is one of the first official cases where famous celebrities have taken legal action against AI-generated content that is not sexually explicit, but still constitutes violations of likeness and dignity. This situation draws attention to growing concerns about Deepfark's content and celebrity rights in the age of generative AI.
In response to the legal action, Interlink AI moderators announced in late June that they would remove all “realistic people models” from the platform. In a message posted to Discord, they explained that the change was necessary, “after encountering legal issues involving a very valuable basketball player.”
The move highlights legal and ethical boundaries being tested as AI-generated content becomes more realistic and potentially harmful.
